Mount for attaching a portable fan to a recreational vehicle awning

ABSTRACT

A mount for attaching a portable fan to the awning support arm on a recreational vehicle is provided. The attachment includes a channel shaped bracket which can be positioned and locked at a desired location on any standard support arm of a retractable awning, a block with several angled upper surfaces enabling the fan to be held in an upright position regardless of the angle of the support arm, and a stud which extends into the base of the fan to allow it to be removably attached to the block.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to recreational vehicles and more particularly a mount for attaching a portable fan to a retractable awning support arm on the exterior of any recreational vehicle which is equipped with a retractable exterior awning.

BACKGROUND

Recreational vehicles may take numerous forms, but most have provision for retractable awnings to be mounted to fixed vertical surfaces of the vehicle. These retractable awnings typically include a canopy that is secured along an inner edge to a supporting external wall of the vehicle and along an opposite parallel edge to a roll bar such that as the roll bar is moved away form the supporting surface, the canopy of the awning is extended. Support arms are typically provided to retain the awning in its extended condition. Since air circulation is substantially blocked by the external wall of the vehicle and by the canopy of the awning, it is frequently hot underneath the awning canopy. Circulating air with a powerful portable fan is one way of lowering the effective temperature under the awning, however, placing such a fan on the ground takes up valuable ground space under the awning and also causes a dangerous tripping hazard due to the necessity of the electrical cord required between the fan and the vehicle. If a mount could be provided allowing a powerful portable fan to be movably attached to a support arm of any retractable awning, then the air under the canopy could be circulated without taking up ground space under the awning and without the necessity of a power cord lying on the ground to create a tripping hazard. To applicant's knowledge, however, there is no known mount available to allow a portable fan to be so attached. It is to overcome this shortcoming that the present invention has been developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, a simple and practical mounting system is provided for attaching a powerful portable fan to the support arm of a retractable awning so as to circulate and cool the air under the canopy of the awning. The mount in accordance with the present invention is removably mountable on either support arm of the awning and adjustable to allow the air circulation to be directed underneath the canopy. There is one example of a retractable awning in the prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,349, which has a small cooling and misting fan integrally designed into the roll bar of the awning, however, the attachment system is proprietary to the particular model and brand of awning provided therein, and therefore it cannot be adapted to the numerous other brands and models of retractable awnings in common provision on recreational vehicles. It is a further disadvantage of the disclosed prior art, that because of the location of the fan mounted on the roll bar, that it is small and underpowered, utilizing a 12 volt electric motor. It is therefore desirable and much needed that a mount such as provided in the present invention can be removably attached to a support arm of any retractable awning of any brand or model, and is designed to provide for the attachment of a powerful 110 volt portable fan anywhere on either support arm and adjustable to allow the stream of the fan to be directed anywhere under the retractable awning. It is a further advantage of the present invention that the fan can be removed from the mount and used in a conventional manner on a freestanding base if desired.

Other aspects, features and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric view of a recreational vehicle having a retractable awning mounted to the side thereof and with a support arm of the awning having a fan attached thereto in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of a support arm of a retractable awning showing the use of the present invention in mounting a fan to the support arm.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of FIG. 2 showing the details of the present invention in mounting a fan to a support arm of a retractable awning.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of FIG. 2 showing the details of the present invention in mounting a fan to a support arm of a retractable awning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Looking first at FIG. 1, a recreational vehicle 11 is shown with a retractable awning 12 mounted thereon. The retractable awning is conventional in having a pair of telescoping support arms 1 attached to the side of the vehicle and supporting the awning in an extended position as illustrated. The mount 13 of the present invention is shown attached to one of the support arms 1, and holding a portable fan 6.

The mount 13 and its method of attachment to the support arm 1, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, is comprised of a bracket 2 which is a channel shaped elongated body, usually of an extruded aluminum alloy, having a larger internal width of the channel than the width of the support arm 1. The interior of one side of the channel has a through hole 20 through which is a protruding locating pin 7 of cylindrical construction and of a diameter smaller than the adjustment holes 14 provided on the support arms 1. The side of the bracket opposite the locating pin is provided with a plurality of tapped holes 21 through which a plurality of threaded thumbscrews 5 extend which are tightened against the side of the support arm 1 in order to lock the bracket into a desired position. The upper surface of the bracket is provided with a plurality of holes 16 in order that a plurality of bolts 8 can be passed through holes 16 from the underside of the bracket in order to fasten the block 3 to the bracket.

The block 3 usually of a cast or machined aluminum alloy is provided with a plurality of tapped threaded holes 17 to accept the threaded portion of bolts 8. The block 3 is provided with a plurality of angled upper surfaces 15 which are placed at varying angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the support arm 1 such that at least one of the surfaces 15 will be level with the ground when the mount 13 is locked into place on the support arm 1. Each upper surface 15 is provided with a threaded tapped hole 10 which is approximately centered on the face of each upper surface 15 and extends perpendicularly downward into the block 3. A stud 4 is an elongated cylindrical body provided with a threaded tapped hole 18 extending perpendicularly into its lower end, and which can be attached onto a desired upper surface 15 by means of a threaded rod 9 one end of which can be screwed into a tapped hole 10 and the other end of which can be screwed into tapped hole 18 and tightened in the desired position.

A portable fan 6 of conventional design such as the King Fortune 18″, 110 volt stand model fan of the preferred embodiment which has a recessed socket 19 extending perpendicularly upward into its base can then be attached to the mount by sliding the recessed socket 19 downward onto the stud 4, although it can be readily seen by one skilled in the art that many other conventional fans may be adapted to the present invention by slight alterations in the dimensions of the stud 4. It can be seen that the mount can be locked into position corresponding to any of the adjustment holes 14 on either of the support arms 1, and that the fan 6 can be rotated as desired, thus allowing the user to utilize a wide variety of placement for maximum cooling of the area under the awning 12.

It may also be seen by that in another preferred embodiment, that the bracket 2 can be integrally formed cast or machined into the block 3.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in detail and structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A mount for attaching a portable fan to a recreational vehicle awning comprising: (a) a channel shaped bracket with an upper surface, a first side and a second side, (b) a locking means for locking said channel shaped bracket to a support arm of a retractable awning on a recreational vehicle, (c) a block with a lower surface and a plurality of angled upper surfaces, (d) a fastening means for attaching the lower surface of said block to the upper surface of said channel shaped bracket, (e) a stud with an elongate upper protrusion and a base, and (f) an attachment means for attaching the base of said stud to the desired angled upper surface of said block, whereby the mount can be attached and locked to a user desired position on a support arm of a retractable awning, and a portable fan with a provided socket for the elongate upper protrusion of the stud can be held in an approximately upright position and aimed to direct a stream of air in any direction desired by a user.
 2. The mount of claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a locating pin extending inwardly from the first side of the channel shaped bracket, and a plurality of opposing threaded thumbscrews extending inwardly through tapped holes located in the second side of the channel shaped bracket, whereby the channel shaped bracket can be removably attached in a desired position to a support arm of a retractable awning on a recreational vehicle.
 3. The mount of claim 1 wherein said fastening means includes: (a) a plurality of bolts, (b) a plurality of holes in the upper surface of the channel shaped bracket, and (c) a plurality of matching threaded holes in the lower surface of the block, whereby the bolts fasten the channel shaped bracket to the block.
 4. The mount of claim 1 wherein said attachment means includes: (a) a plurality of threaded holes extending approximately perpendicular into the plurality of angled upper surfaces of the block, (b) an opposing threaded hole extending approximately perpendicular into the base of the stud, and (c) a rod with a first threaded end and a second threaded end, the first threaded end being of a size matching the plurality of threaded holes extending perpendicular into the angle upper surfaces of the block, and the second threaded end being of a size matching the opposing threaded hole extending approximately perpendicular into the base of the stud, whereby the stud can be removably attached to a desired angled upper surface of the block.
 5. The mount of claim 1 wherein the channel shaped bracket is of suitable width to allow said bracket to fit over a standard support arm of a retractable awning on a recreational vehicle, and is of a suitable length to provide adequate stability to the channel shaped bracket when the locking means is employed.
 6. The mount of claim 1 wherein the plurality of angled upper surfaces of the block are angled in relation to the longitudinal axis of the support arm such that at least one of the angled upper surfaces is approximately level when the fastening means is employed.
 7. The mount of claim 1 wherein the channel shaped bracket, the block, and the stud are made of a strong lightweight material.
 8. The mount of claim 1 wherein the channel shaped bracket, the block, and the stud are made of an alloy of aluminum.
 9. The mount of claim 1 wherein the channel shaped bracket is dimensioned such that the recess formed by the upper surface, the first side and the second side will fit over all standard size retractable awning support arms.
 10. A mount for attaching a portable fan to a recreational vehicle awning comprising: (a) an elongate stud having a base and being of suitable size and length to fit a recess in the base of a provided portable fan, (b) a block having a plurality of angled upper surfaces, a first side, a second side, a length, and a width sufficient for a formed channel shaped recess extending, channel opening downward, through the length of the block, (c) a locking means for locking said block to a support arm of a retractable awning on a recreational vehicle, (d) an attachment means for attaching the elongate stud to the desired angled upper surface of said block, whereby the mount can be attached and locked to a user desired position on a support arm of a retractable awning, and a portable fan with a provided socket for the elongate stud can be held in an approximately upright position and aimed to direct a stream of air in any direction desired by a user.
 11. The mount of claim 10 wherein said locking means includes a locating pin extending inwardly from the first side of the block, extending into the channel shaped recess, and a plurality of opposing threaded thumbscrews extending inwardly through tapped holes located in the second side of the block, extending into the channel shaped recess, whereby the block can be removably attached in a desired position to a support arm of a retractable awning on a recreational vehicle.
 12. The mount of claim 10 wherein said attachment means includes: (a) a plurality of threaded holes extending approximately perpendicular into the plurality of angled upper surfaces of the block, (b) an opposing threaded hole extending approximately perpendicular into the base of the stud, and (c) a rod with a first threaded end and a second threaded end, the first threaded end being of a size matching the plurality of threaded holes extending perpendicular into the angle upper surfaces of the block, and the second threaded end being of a size matching the opposing threaded hole extending approximately perpendicular into the base of the stud, whereby the stud can be removably attached to a desired angled upper surface of the block.
 13. The mount of claim 10 wherein the channel shaped recess is of suitable width to allow said block to fit over a standard support arm of a retractable awning on a recreational vehicle, and is of a suitable length to provide adequate stability to the block when the locking means is employed.
 14. The mount of claim 10 wherein the plurality of angled upper surfaces of the block are angled in relation to the longitudinal axis of the support arm such that at least one of the angled upper surfaces is approximately level when the fastening means is employed.
 15. The mount of claim 10 wherein the channel shaped bracket, the block, and the stud are made of a strong lightweight material.
 16. The mount of claim 10 wherein the, the block, and the stud are made of an alloy of aluminum.
 17. The mount of claim 10 wherein the channel shaped recess is dimensioned such that the recess will fit over all standard size retractable awning support arms.
 18. A method for attaching a portable fan having a base with a recess therein to a recreational vehicle awning including the use of a mount having a projection which extends into the recess in the base of the portable fan and providing an adjustment means for holding the fan level, and further providing a means for removably attaching the mount to a standard support arm of a retractable awning at a user desired location. 